


Platonic Straw Hat Oneshots

by Huntz711



Category: One Piece
Genre: Asexual Monkey D. Luffy, Fluff, Nakamaship, No Romance, Platonic Kissing, Platonic Relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:33:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23870905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Huntz711/pseuds/Huntz711
Summary: Title says all that really needs to be said.I am constantly frustrated by the lack of platonic straw hat love in fanfics. So now whenever I get frustrated and write something adorable and cute to deal with my anger about the lack of non-romantic straw hats, I will put it here.
Relationships: Brook & Monkey D. Luffy, Monkey D. Luffy & Mugiwara Kaizoku | Strawhat Pirates, Monkey D. Luffy & Roronoa Zoro, Monkey D. Luffy & Usopp, Nami & Vinsmoke Sanji, Nico Robin & Tony Tony Chopper
Comments: 89
Kudos: 232





	1. Luffy and Usopp Talk

**Author's Note:**

> This one just has Luffy and Usopp. Because I love them and this is my fic and I will do what I want to.

Luffy woke up in the middle of the night. It was strange to him. It wasn't from a nightmare, and he wasn't hungry. He never woke up at night without one of those two reasons. That it didn't matter now, though, because now he felt restless. He noticed an absence in the bunk room. One of the bunks was empty. Usopp's bunk. He got out of the bed, pushing his hat onto his head, and gently padded out onto the grassy deck, yawning. And there his missing crewmate was, splayed out in the grass, eyes directed up at the stars. 

Luffy walked out to join him. There was a nice breeze. The ship was quiet, relaxing. As loud and rambunctious as Luffy got, he could still enjoy quiet moments. He sat down and eventually laid down, feet facing the opposite direction from Usopp's. Their heads were next to each other, just flipped (Luffy's chin was in line with Usopp's forehead). Usopp's hair was absolutely everywhere, since he hardly ever left it tied back at night, but luckily Luffy hadn't laid on any of it. He looked up at the stars. 

Usopp didn't say anything for a good whole, and both were comfortable with it, comfortable in each others' silence. 

"Luffy?" Usopp asked. 

Luffy hummed softly in response. 

"Do you ever miss your hometown?" He asked, voice slipping into the language of East Blue for the question.

Luffy thought a moment. "Yes," he answered in the same tongue. He did. Sometimes he wished he could talk to Makino or Dadan or even mayor Woop Slap again, if only to catch up for a few minutes. To make sure they knew he still thought of them. 

It was Usopp's turn to hum, and they went back to their comfortable silence until he breathed in to speak, breaking it once more. "I do, sometimes, too. I want to know how Kaya is... if she saw my wanted poster. I wonder if she's proud. Do you think she's proud?"

Luffy smiled. "I don't know. What do you think?"

"I hope she is." Usopp smiled a little. "But if she's not I'll make sure she is yet. I just wish I could say hello."

Luffy hummed in his agreement. "We will, you know? Once I'm Pirate King and once you're a brave warrior of the sea." It was nice, both to hear his sniper speak the language and to speak it himself. He didn't think about it often, here on the Grand Line. This vast sea sometimes became his whole world, his crew's whole world. But speaking in the language of their childhood home, of East Blue, reminded them both of being children. Of what they'd left behind. 

They were nostalgic, but not the sadder kind of nostalgic. They went back to their silence, and Luffy could feel that his sniper was smiling. 

"It's weird. To see the same stars they see in Syrup... but to be on the other side of the world." They were silent, and then Usopp laughed. Luffy smiled at the sound. "That was dumb, wasn't it?" The sniper asked. 

"A little." Luffy agreed. "But I get it." His smile remained through his words, his amusement apparent in them.

They went back to their silence, both content and calm. Luffy slipped his eyes shut, feeling the gentle rocking of the Sunny and hearing the sound of the small waves against its sides. He really did like quiet moments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe that was dumb and cheesy. But it made me happy and that is my only reason for any of this. I hope if anyone reads this, it made you happy too. :)
> 
> (Also sometimes I see fics with there being different languages in the One Piece world so that's here too bc its cute.)
> 
> If anyone knows any fics with the straw hats being amazing and adorable like this please let me know. And also if you want to see me write something that fits in the idea of this kind of oneshot, I'm honestly willing. 
> 
> Also comments please I love comments and will cry in the best way possible if you comment so please


	2. Chopper Has a Bad Dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one I'm not as proud of but I think it's okay. Sorry about any typos or anything these are written quickly on a whim lol

Chopper shot up in his bunk, breathing heavily, visions of an explosion, of fire at the top of a mountain, of a hat blowing in the breeze and landing by his hoof, of toxic mushroom soup and of his own naivety fresh in his mind. He felt shaky, unsteady. He took a moment to look around the dark bunk room, taking in the sleeping forms of his nakama. His breathing slowed and his urgent panic and his heart which had pounded in his ears calmed, though he still trembled. He still regretted that day, regretted the loss of his father.

He glanced at his captain, who was peacefully asleep, draped over his bunk and not in it, drool dripping down his cheek to the floor. Zoro's familiar snoring could be heard from his bunk. Usopp's entire upper body was on the floor, nose pressed uncomfortably against the planks. Sanji was in his bunk, breathing softly and steadily as he always did when he slept, despite not being as visible as the others. Brook's lanky limbs were hung off the sides of his bunk - he'd always seemed comfortable that way. Franky was on watch, the only one missing from his bunk. Everything was calm. Safe. Normal. 

He sat in his bunk, wishing his half-human form didn't sweat. He'd never liked the stuff. He was coated in it despite being cold, and he shivered, his fur not doing much to help when the cold wetness was already in it, against his skin.

As much as the sight of his nakama helped him, Chopper did not want to go back to sleep alone. He knew he could go to any of his crewmates for comfort. They'd all understand him and none would mock his past or his fears. He could comfortably fit with any one of them in their bunks or he could even go to Franky, who he wouldn't have to wake. But for some reason he wanted the girls. The boys could help him and would understand, but the girls were more tender about it. Not so suffocating in their affection, which was what he needed right now. He hopped out of the bunk, hooves gently tapping on the floor as he tiptoed out of the boys' room. He enjoyed the deck's grass as he made his way to the stairs and climbed them, eyes up at the partly cloudy night sky as his short little legs carried him to the girls' room.

They'd told him he didn't need to knock on occasions like this, which he appreciated greatly. He opened the door and went inside, and by the shifting in the bed he knew that Robin now knew of his presence. She'd always been a light sleeper, though it pained him to think of why that was. He took slow, uncertain steps towards the bed, and then hands sprouted from the ground and lifted him into it, into the archaeologist's arms. Robin had sat up so that she could hold him in her lap. She could feel his trembling, but since he didn't say anything she didn't push for an explanation. Such a thing wasn't needed: they all understood each other on this ship. She put a gentle hand on his face and he nuzzled into it, then forward into her chest. He didn't know why he felt so safe with her, but it wasn't the first thing in his mind as she gently maneuvered them both so they were laying down, her arms around him protectively, but not restrictively. He smiled and nuzzled into her. Nami's hand found its way to his head and ruffled the fur on it gently before being pulled back to the half-awake woman's body.

He heard a small, happy hum from the woman holding him as his trembling slowly abated. The girls both got comfortable again, closing their eyes as they accepted their roommate for the night. 

The rest of Chopper's sleep was dreamless and when he awoke it was to another sunny day with his favorite people, who he loved even more when they didn't question his absence from the bunk room that morning. They knew he'd tell them if he was truly hurt or badly upset. That, or they'd just  _ know _ , like they always seemed to.

(If Luffy's exuberant hug when he caught him during their game of tag was a little tighter than normal, and if Usopp glanced at him a few more times than usual during his storytelling to make absolutely sure he was happy, who was to blame them?)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope it was cute enough. I like them understanding that it doesn't necessarily need to be talked about, just that sometimes the crew just needs some cuddles to feel ok.  
> Iunno maybe it sounds cuter to me than Y'all but I don't care  
> Pls comment and say what you think it will make me very happy and anything I could have done better is welcome I always wanna get better :)


	3. Brook and Luffy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luffy has some kind of superpower to make people feel happy, Brook swears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhh this may be really disjointed and messy idk but I think its nice.

Brook wasn't really surprised as a rubbery body was draped over his own bony, angular body in a half-hug half-attempt to seemingly use him as a bed. Brook was sitting in the aquarium bar, and had been quietly sipping tea, thinking deeply. He'd managed to put his tea down somewhere safe when as he heard his captain's sandals flapping as he entered the room. 

Luffy maneuvered himself in Brook's lap, awkwardly elbowing him and kneeing him as he worked into a better position, which came in the form of Luffy's legs draped over his own, knees bent and body curled to lean his head on the skeleton's shoulder. Brook wasn't sure how comfortable that was, but the rubber man seemed to be able to get comfortable in any position. The clumsy movement in Brook's lap and the rubber joints jabbing at him in the process would have been much more annoying if it hadn't been a long, silent, "Hello, you're down here lonely and you got me worried, and I'm not gonna leave till you feel alright because I love you a lot and don't wanna see you sad." 

Luffy still hadn't said a word, but as loud as he was sometimes he was still a man of action, wasn't he? Brook loved him for that. He wasn't sure if he was ready to put what was bothering him into words. With Luffy here, he knew there'd be comfort without questioning gazes and attempts to get him to spill his non-existent heart out. 

(Despite this, Brook knew it was a real possibility that his heart  _ could _ get spilled out this evening, mostly because Luffy had a way of making him do that without even mentioning the problem at hand. A memory of tears on his cheeks and his hands on piano keys, as Luffy laid, grinning and carefree, upside down on top of said piano reminded him of that.) He smiled a little, the only visible hint of it his slightly crinkled eyes and the wrinkles that (somehow) appeared at their corners. "Hello, Luffy-san." He said, finally responding to his captain's silent yet long winded greeting. 

Luffy didn't say anything but a rubber head nuzzled Brook's shoulder. Brook glanced at him, and saw a little smile on the boy's face.

He was sure Luffy knew why he was distant tonight, why he was feeling so pensive and melancholy. The ghost ship they'd seen today was small, but those ripped sails and that dark, rotting wood reminded him of fifty long years of loneliness, of silence. As backwards as it was, that loneliness drove him away from his beloved crew, to where he was now. Luffy wasn't upset about it, wasn't accusatory. He never was. And Brook knew that while he might not understand exactly how he felt, he was an absolute genius with comforting people. For all his antics and lack of seriousness, he was a smart boy (not smart in the way of books like Robin or Nami, but smart in his own way, in a more subtle way that didn't often show itself but was incredibly  _ Luffy _ in nature).

Luffy was great with people, when he wanted to be.

A sound of a shout and a clash of swords against legs resonated from the galley right above them, or more specifically the galley's door, because Sanji never allowed his and Zoro's duels to leak into the sacred place. He yelled something that was muffled, but obviously in an attempt to get the shitty marimo out of his damn kitchen.

Brook smiled. It was sounds like that, like Chopper and Usopp's horsing around on deck, like Franky's tinkering, the quiet, papery sound of Robin turning a page, the rustling as Nami cared for her mikans, that made this ship so different than the one that had become his prison. 

Luffy giggled a little. Brook knew that he, too, cherished those sounds. They all did after two years so glaringly absent of them. 

"Zoro found out Sanji got good sake at the last island," Luffy smiled.

Ah, that would explain it. There was more shouting, their cook and swordsman's odd way of displaying their friendship (the whole crew knew it was there despite the mens' insisting it wasn't) provided a nice, muffled background noise of angry yelling, which was comforting, as strange as it was. 

Luffy was quiet again, that is until the childish boy could no longer be quiet and began to squirm and hum some ridiculous tune. Brook recognized it as the one Luffy sometimes sang absent-mindedly, about southern islands and pineapples. 

Brook didn't know if that was a real song or if Luffy made it up, because the melody never made any sense to him, but that could have just been his captain's atrocious musical abilities. Brook would have tried to sing it long ago if he had any idea how it actually went. The first time he'd heard it he'd thought Luffy was just singing aimlessly, but then he'd heard it again, and again, and it perplexed him that the rubber boy remembered such a ridiculously bad tune. 

Luffy was shamelessly bad at a lot of things. And somehow those things still made him happy. Singing badly made him happy. Failures at launching the crew onto Sunny's deck inexplicably made him happy. Shattering dishes when he was  _ supposed  _ to be washing them somehow made him happy, as did so many things that made no sense to Brook. His captain was so strange in that regard. 

There was a loud squeal from Chopper from the direction of the grass deck, and Brook could hear the tree's swing moving back and forth. Usopp laughed loudly. He must be pushing the little reindeer. They were so young, found joy in so many things and quickly had Brook finding joy in many of them. They reminded him of his old crew, but much younger and more naive, though he knew that naivety fell away when it needed to. Brook's did, too, a trait he'd had before his death but a trait he knew was much more exaggerated after his exposure to the two boys and Luffy for that matter. 

Brook heard the familiar sounds of a hammer from Franky's workshop, and -

…

See, there his childlike captain went, making him think about this crew and how much he loved them without so much as a word about it. The boy was seemingly oblivious to this as he continued his tuneless, tasteless song.

Brook smiled, though it wasn't much of a movement given his face was made of rigid bone. Luffy noticed, though, because he stopped singing and the blinding light that was his too-wide, gleeful smile graced Brook's vision. On anyone else that smile would've been uncanny. Maybe it  _ was _ uncanny but so was Brook and maybe that was another thing that drew him to his captain. 

"Thank you, Luffy-san."

And there Luffy went, looking confused and innocent, like he hadn't known exactly what he was doing (Brook was choosing to ignore the fact that he really hadn't, despite knowing it to be true. His captain couldn't lie): "What do you mean?" 

Brook's smile doubled in feeling despite not being able to change visibly. "You're truly a strange captain."

Luffy giggled that trademark  _ shi-shi-shi _ of his and rubber arms and legs were suddenly wrapped around and around his body in a bone-crushing (skull joke!) hug. 

Brook was surprised he hadn't broken down. He found that instead of remembering his crewmate's deaths and those solitary, lonely 50 years he was remembering the Rumbar Pirates as they had been when they were alive. How similar to his new family they were but also how different. He missed them and that wouldn't go away, but now the sighted ghost ship didn't matter anymore and what did matter were his nakama who were here. 

He knew whose fault this ridiculous change was. Luffy was full of ridiculous, and Brook loved it.

"Brook's feeling a lot better!" Luffy giggled, and it was true.

The cook's voice came from up the service elevator. "Dinner's ready, shitty bastards. Get up here."

Luffy clumsily untangled himself and yanked Brook up by his hand. Brook smiled as he allowed himself to be dragged out of the aquarium bar and up to the galley above. The crew was gathered, crowded at the table, upon which ware heaps and heaps of curry. Brook's favorite. 

He glanced at Sanji, who gave him a smirk, but it was a loving smirk that was enough to send the skeleton over the edge. Brook felt his joy bubble up and he laughed loudly, not missing the contended smiles on the faces of his nakama at the sound. He loved them all more than anything else, and he hoped they could feel the pure joy and love his heart was spilling out for them.

And oh, there it was. Luffy had indeed made him pour his heart out again, without Brook even noticing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it. I wrote it on a whim and also fun fact back in 2017 I was obsessed with Undertale and I saw Brook in a comic with other skeletons since I was one of THOSE fans.  
> And I was very interested in him. So Brook is the reason I watched One Piece.


	4. Mikans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had an idea I thought was really cute. This was incredibly impulsive but I couldn't get the thought out of my head once I had it.

Nami held the old binder in her hands, uncertain. She ran her fingertips over the cover. It was old and water stained and had washed out floral print on it. She'd move its contents into a sturdier file if the binder itself didn't hold such memories in its peeling paint and mismatched metal clasps. She stood up from the chest she'd been going through in her room. She knew what she ought to do with the binder. It held a lot of memories. Memories she'd like to keep close. And it was useless at the bottom of that chest, forgotten. She slowly flipped it open, looked through the familiar pages, the stains and rips, some of which she herself had caused. The pictures she remembered so well. The scent of oranges that had never left the binder as long as she'd had it away from the mikan trees. She ran her hand over one wrinkly, water-damaged page, eyes scanning the elegant yet rushed handwriting scrawled across it.

She then shut the binder and headed to the door, but she paused upon reaching it. Was this the best thing to do? She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Of course it was. A binder like this belonged in a certain room, and that room wasn't hers. She tucked it gently under her arm and opened her door. Sanji was on deck, sparring with Zoro. Good: she could be discreet. She made her way up into the galley and gently set the binder on the pristine counter. It would be safe here, she knew. She then quickly turned and left, back to finish going through her room. She hadn't been on this ship that long, but all of the stuff she'd found and kept  _ was _ starting to clutter up the place. It wasn't like it had a lot of space. 

\- - -

Nami was roused from her nap late one afternoon a few days later by Sanji's gentle hand on her shoulder and a soft "Nami-san. I didn't want to wake you, but it's dinner time and we can't wait much longer."

Shouting from inside the galley answered the question of why that was. That idiot captain. Still, she stretched and sat up, shooting Sanji a smile which he returned easily. He seemed… excited about something. She followed him into the galley after her stretching. Upon entering the room, she was hit with a very familiar aroma; or rather, a nostalgic aroma. She stopped, her eyes going a little wide for a second, and then flitting to the table, where, laid out in an attractive and colorful spread, was a meal she hadn't seen or tasted since… well, since her mother's death. 

She saw the others staring at her a little and quickly broke out of her surprise to join them at the table. The closer she got to the food the more she could see it. It was just like how it'd been all those years ago, if only with slightly better presentation. It was something Bellemere had made to spoil her and Nojiko. Pork with a glaze made from their mikans. It was an odd combination perhaps, but Nami and Nojiko had always been eager to devour it. She served herself and spent a good long moment just staring at the meal and taking in its scent and its looks. 

She slowly took her fork and jabbed at a part of it, and the meat was so tender that it came off the piece on her plate without the need for a knife. She hesitated a little, and then just took the bite. If she didn't just do it, she wouldn't do it and she'd regret hesitating too long. Sanji had done this for  _ her _ and she wasn't about to let her emotions get in the way of her enjoying it. (Her emotions would come later.)

The meat practically melted in her mouth, sweet after soaking as long as it had with the mikans. She'd watched her mother make this. She knew how long it took. She chewed slowly and closed her eyes to savor it. Something in her throat tightened at the taste but she forced it back. No, she was going to enjoy this. It was wonderful. Perfect. She took another bite and let the pork fall apart in her mouth. Luffy, Usopp and Chopper were yelling like normal. Zoro and Vivi were watching them, amused, and no one was paying much attention to her. 

She ate slowly, savoring each piece. 

She remained in the galley after the others left to play tag or something along those lines. Sanji was washing dishes. He still hadn't said anything regarding the meal he'd cooked, but she knew he'd done it for her. She began to help him clean, quietly taking a place beside him to dry dishes until there were no more left to dry, at which point Sanji glanced at her and she took the opportunity and step closer and hug him tightly around his middle. She pressed the side of her face into his chest and tears finally came to her eyes but she was smiling. She was happy. He didn't move for a moment, but then he returned the embrace. There was no blushing, no nose bleeding, no overdramatic cries of mellorine. She hadn't expected any of that. She knew he hadn't done this because she was a woman. He'd done this because they were nakama. 

"Thank you, Sanji-kun." she whispered softly. 

His chin pressed into her head. He smelled like cigarette smoke and now, after working with the mikans for so long today, citrus. So like Bellemere, but also so like Sanji. He wasn't a replacement, though. None of her nakama were or ever would be. But they were every bit as wonderful as her mother. She was so happy to have met them.

"No need for thanks, Nami-san." 

Of course there wasn't. But she hugged him a little tighter and nuzzled his chest again, her smile hurting her cheeks, because even if he already knew, a reminder wouldn't hurt. "Really, Sanji. It was a wonderful meal. Thank you." She looked up into his eyes and he smiled that kind smile she loved. 

"Of course."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all enjoyed. I love Sanji a lot when he's being a good nakama and not a pervert haha


	5. Infirmity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is really short but I like it.

Zoro awoke to suffocating warmth and an inability to move. His body felt heavy, swaddled in annoyingly familiar bandages and covered by a blanket, and restrained by something else. Wait. Restrained? He moved the one hand he could - it felt like lead - to feel for whatever was wrapped around him, restricting his body and preventing him from even sitting up. He was met with rubbery flesh and he turned his head to see a mop of unruly black hair nuzzled into his shoulder.

"Zoro should go back to sleep." His captain murmured into his shoulder, limbs shifting and holding him more snugly. 

Zoro's eyes went to the room's small window. The blinds were shut but there was daylight slipping through them into the otherwise dark room. "It's daytime."

"Well. Zoro's not moving." 

"Did Chopper put you up to this?"

His captain didn't respond. They were silent for a while. Zoro opened his mouth to ask to be released but at that same moment, Luffy spoke again. "Zoro made everyone worried." He shifted and his black eyes were suddenly on Zoro, shining and boring into him like they always did. He didn't know what to say. 

"Chopper said you almost bled out in the crow's nest." Luffy murmured, voice uncharacteristically serious, lacking the third person he tended to use for whatever reason. 

"I what?"

"You opened your wound. And Chopper said you would've died. So you're not moving till you're all healed."

Zoro sighed. "Luffy, Chopper always overreacts, I'm-"

"Captain's orders." Luffy said, looking Zoro in the eyes. He looked serious and worried, an expression he rarely if ever directed towards his swordsman. 

Zoro relaxed into the bed and turned his face towards the ceiling. Luffy cuddled him closer like he'd never let him go. 

Seemed like Zoro wouldn't be training for a while. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)  
> Comments are very appreciated.


	6. Mystery feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um. Luffy says some stuff I may or may not wish I could hear.   
> Warning this is maybe a little kind of heavy? It was a vent. Just a lot of talking about emotions. And some of this is why I love Usopp a lot. Cause I'm going through some stuff and it just... feels right with him?
> 
> Also disclaimer I know very little about mentall illness or anything of that nature. This is going off my experiences and the things I've been feeling as of late, I guess?  
> And I don't know if anything here is healthy or not. It's just what I wish I could hear. Because I need someone like Luffy in my life oml.

"Usopp's been acting too much."

Usopp jumped, but didn't bother to lift his head from where he was sitting, hugging his knees in the dimly lit library. Shit. He supposed he could always count on his freakishly observant captain to see something was amiss. He didn't respond. He was afraid that if he did, his voice would come out choked and his tears would come. 

Funny. He came up here hoping to cry and when finally given a chance, he had no intentions of taking it. 

Luffy's weight settled next to him. It wasn't the suffocating closeness he normally lavished on his nakama. Rather, he was giving Usopp space, something Usopp had not expected at all and yet appreciated. He wasn't afraid of touch. It didn't bother him. But right now he wasn't sure if he wanted contact. 

"S'it about Water Seven? No one bl-"

"I know, Luffy. I… I know no one blames me. No one hates me. And yet…" he trailed off.

"Usopp still blames himself."

He nodded, managing a weak laugh that was far from genuine. His throat hurt like he was going to cry. Or did it? Was he just being dramatic?

"If you're not happy, then don't pretend."

Usopp glanced at Luffy, but his head felt heavy and he let his forehead fall back onto his knees. Being small felt comfortable, right now. 

"Luffy… sometimes I don't even realize I'm pretending."

He heard Luffy move, felt his warmth get closer, and then the boy stopped. He seemed to think better of it, and leaned back. Usopp was grateful. Was Usopp grateful? He had such a hard time knowing anymore. He couldn't even trust his own feelings, it seemed. 

The silence was too much, so Usopp filled it. "I… I thought I was okay… I mean, it didn't hurt, not anymore. But… I… whenever I was happy - or - I don't know. When I thought I was happy. It wasn't enough. I… I couldn't lose myself in it? No - god, that's stupid. We'd all be laughing and I laughed but - I mean I knew - I knew there should be  _ more  _ there. But… nothing hurt so I assumed - … I thought I was fine. And then - And then something little would come and everything crumbled. And it happened so easily. And I don't know if I was ever really happy. Or if I just didn't notice I was… not? I don't know how long it's been. I - I can't tell anymore because I don't notice? It feels so - so  _ normal _ , to just  _ not feel anything _ , and I - I mean, I can hardly even  _ cry _ … I'll manage it, and then be back to normal and then… I mean. Nothing changes and I - I just hate myself sometimes -" he paused. "God, Luffy, I think I might be  _ broken _ ."

Luffy was silent. Usopp tensed. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea and maybe he shouldn't have said anything. Maybe he was just bringing Luffy down over nothing. He - he wasn't sad. Not really. Maybe. He was pretty sure. Or at least when he was his tears always left too early, he never felt he stayed sad long enough. So maybe it was a positive thing. Maybe he was really fine and he was just being stupid. Maybe he was just worrying his best friend for no reason. Maybe Luffy would know that. Would know that and know Usopp wasted his time with meaningless words and complaining. This was stupid. He should stop, shouldn't bring Luffy into his bullshit. "Sorr-"

"Usopp. Don't say that. Don't say sorry. I don't know what any of that means. But… but if Usopp is feeling mystery feelings, then that's okay. Usopp's not broken…" he then went silent. Fully silent. No sighing or breathing or shifting. 

"You're not broken. And I don't want you to pretend. You're a pirate aren't you? So you're free. Free to smile. And if you're free to smile, then you're also free to not smile."

"I - God, Luffy, you're… I… I just don't want to  _ worry  _ y-"

"I'm your captain. Your nakama. So it's my job. You worry about me, right?"

Usopp didn't respond. He didn't need to. Of course he did. He worried about Luffy and they both knew it. 

"Then let me worry about you. Me… me and all of us. Mystery feelings are… mysterious! And… I don't get it. But! I get that you're my nakama! A man feels what a man feels. I think. So we won't get mad at you for feeling! Or… not feeling. And if you don't know why… it's okay! Just… just like I don't need a reason to be happy… you don't need a reason to feel… mystery feelings. So I don't care if you don't know what's wrong! Because I'm here anyways and I'm your nakama and it's my job to be here! And… and… Zoro n' Nami n' Sanji n' Chopper n' Robin n' Franky n' Brook are the same! So… so don't pretend! And… And… don't feel like it's wrong! Or… I can't tell you what to feel. So. It's not wrong. So you know. But I know even if you know… it doesn't change it. But that's okay! Because um. Mystery feelings again and-"

He stopped. "Nami says I need to know when to shut up."

Usopp didn't respond to that. He stared at his knees. 

"Oh! And! If… if Usopp doesn't like himself, that… that's not so nice, but… but! I love Usopp! And we all do, and we will! Forever! Forever and ever and until Usopp can love himself for himself and even then we'll still love him."

Usopp blinked.  _ God, _ so little of that made sense. But…  _ free to not smile. Free to feel mystery feelings.  _ He didn't  _ like _ how he felt. Didn't like any of it. But…  _ Usopp's not broken. You're not broken. _

Usopp's limbs moved automatically to embrace his captain. Now that he himself had initiated it, Luffy was immediately all over him, hugging and squeezing him so hard he almost couldn't breathe. 

He wished he could tear up and cry it out. Or laugh. But neither happened. He just hugged back just as tightly as Luffy was hugging him. 

"I love you so much, Luffy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyway yeah have that mess. Probably a lot of typos but I don't currently have the energy to fix them. I hope you enjoyed.


	7. Kisses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, this is a mess. It's not that good but I have nothing to add to it and it's nice and fluffy. Very leaning into ZoLu territory even though that wasn't my intent, really. Read it however you want, idc.

The sky and water were dark and calm. All around their dinghy, there was darkness. Zoro's new captain was still chattering about something or other, though he'd calmed down from when they'd first set sail. Stars lit up the sky and reflected on the dark water and gave the illusion of endless space, far above and below them and on all sides. It was quite breathtaking, and for some strange reason here, in this boat under the stars next to a young boy who never shut up, he felt more able to relax than he had in, well. He didn't know how long. 

He yawned loudly, and this caught his captain's attention. "Oh? You tired?"

Zoro shrugged in his general direction, already closing his eyes. 

They snapped open when a body clambered over near his and before he could react, his new captain was planting a firm kiss on his forehead. He stared up at him. 

"Uh." He said dumbly. 

Luffy smiled brightly at him and something tingled in his chest at that sight. "G'night, Zoro! Sleep well!" And then he was gone. 

Zoro stared after him for a moment, and then shrugged. No harm done, he supposed. 

It happened the next night, and the next, and the next, and the next, even when Zoro wasn't going to sleep. Every night, without fail, the rubber man would press a good night kiss to his forehead or his cheek or his nose or wherever was easiest to kiss. He always tried to remember to ask him, ask what the hell was up with that, but always forgot, until it was so commonplace that he no longer noticed it. 

He caught himself one night, stretching his neck and turning his head so Luffy could more easily kiss his cheek. 

When he flushed red because of this, his captain laughed. 

It lost its strangeness, after a while. Became mundane, comforting, even. To have someone trusted close by who didn't fear him, in fact  _ liked  _ him enough to want to kiss him goodnight. Perhaps it was childish, but Zoro had been alone a long time. Sure, there had been Johnny and Yosaku, but they were different. They'd felt like people he was obligated to protect. With Luffy, well, there was that (perhaps even stronger. There was a deep-rooted urge to protect the boy, to make sure he was safe and sound and happy), but it was different. Perhaps it was rude to say, but it was better. 

Luffy was stupid and annoying, but he was also strong and kind and friendly and Zoro had never had such companionship with anyone before. 

The good night kisses served as a reminder of Luffy's closeness to him. 

When the red-head witch joined the crew, Zoro didn't think about it, though he probably should have realized what would happen. 

She was much more vocal about her surprise. There were shouted curses and quite a commotion from across the boat where Luffy had pecked her on the forehead. She'd shoved him violently away. 

Luffy did not seem to mind, just struggled himself clear with a smile and a "Good night, Nami!" And then made his way to Zoro. 

Zoro couldn't help but smirk at the display, and he made eye contact with her as Luffy crouched down and kissed his cheek with a murmured "G'night, Zoro!" With a smile in it that he could hear. 

Nami stared, aghast, eyes wide and confused. 

Zoro laughed aloud, and, just to make it worse for her, he took Luffy's arm and pulled him down to plant a kiss on his forehead. "Goodnight, Captain."

The smile Luffy gave him made him want to do it again. 

Nami stared, incredulous. Zoro simply laughed at her. 

Zoro found it worth it to reciprocate his captain's kisses every night, and Luffy seemed delighted with that development. The way his captain smiled at him and giggled every time he did made him feel at home.

Nami began to allow the kisses after the first few nights, at first begrudgingly, but then with a kind of tired affection that felt right. She understood. 

When the skinny little sniper boy joined them, they acquired a ship. Nami slept in a different room, separated from them by a wall. Zoro watched with interest when Luffy bent over Usopp and kissed his forehead. 

Usopp stiffened and let out a squeak that had Zoro hiding a smile. "Good night, Usopp!" Luffy chirped.

An awkward, half-terrified "Night!" came in response.

Zoro then watched his captain leave the boys' room and heard the muffled "Night, Nami!" "Night, Luffy." That resonated through the wall before his captain returned and stopped at the long-nose's hammock. 

Luffy approached Zoro's hammock and smiled at him. "Night, Zoro!" He leaned down and kissed right between Zoro's eyes. Zoro smiled and chuckled, took one of Luffy's cheeks and kissed the other, making his rubber captain grin down at him. 

"Good night, Captain."

Usopp didn't get used to it in the first few days. He always stiffened and squeaked when Luffy leaned down to kiss him every night. Zoro pondered asking his captain to stop, but held off. He didn't want to see Luffy's reaction to a request like that. 

That paid off, though. Usopp approached Zoro one afternoon, when Luffy was elsewhere on the ship. 

"Uh- Zoro?" He asked, timid. 

Zoro didn't stop lifting the weight he was holding. He grunted to show he was listening. 

"Ah - Luffy. At night. When he, uh."

Zoro found himself chuckling. "Yeah?" 

"Well. Why? I just - I mean, it's… I hardly know him. What does he - I mean, he does it to all of us, but does he expect - I mean, is he, uh. Y'know. Like. Does he want-"

Zoro enjoyed watching the sniper flounder for a few seconds. "You're thinking too far into it. He's Luffy. We're his nakama. He loves us. That's all."

"I - you're sure? It's just, I mean, I don't know that people normally - I mean, I never had any fr- I mean! Uh! The great Captain Usopp has had a great many friends! And has not seen one that acts like this before!"

Zoro still didn't stop his lifting. "Luffy's a little different. But it just means you're his friend."

Usopp fled the deck soon after that, but that night he didn't stiffen when Luffy kissed him and returned his good night with one that was less awkward than usual. 

As the nights progressed, Usopp became more comfortable, until he pulled Luffy in for a hug one night when he bent down to kiss him. "Night, Luffy!"

Luffy was delighted. Zoro watched him scoop the sniper up in a very excited return of the hug. Both of them laughed. That was almost better than just Luffy laughing. 

Time passed. Luffy found a cook, even if the cook didn't know it yet. Zoro fought Mihawk, almost died, sailed ahead to Nami's island where there was more fighting to do. 

After their victory and their night of partying, they were sprawled out in a room at an inn in Cocoyashi. The cook had officially joined them, now. 

Luffy got kicked when he went to kiss his forehead. Luffy only laughed and wished him sweet dreams. 

The cook seemed flabbergasted when Luffy gently kissed Usopp and Nami and exchanged good nights, and since Zoro didn't like the guy all that much and wanted to see how far his dumb ass could drop his jaw, he made quite the show of kissing Luffy's cheek, looking pointedly at the cook afterwards. 

The next day, the cook asked if Zoro was gay. 

Zoro laughed. "That's not what this is, dumbass."

Sanji didn't understand, but he must have eventually because on their way to Loguetown Zoro heard him return Luffy's good night. 

Things were good. They sailed into the Grand Line and Luffy did not miss a single night of his goodnight kisses. 

When they picked up the blue-haired girl, Zoro didn't get to see her reaction, but the next day Nami told him that she blushed up a storm and retreated to the far side of their shared bed. Zoro had a good time laughing at that. 

Vivi must have gotten used to it like the rest of them, though, because Nami didn't mention any more than that. 

When the doctor joined, Zoro took one look at him and wanted to take him in his arms and just hold him forever. He was so  _ small,  _ and  _ adorable,  _ and something so tiny needed to be protected if it was his  _ nakama. _ Luffy seemed to feel the same way, because he cuddled around the little guy, managing to quell his fears and worries rather quickly. 

Chopper giggled and blushed when Luffy kissed him goodnight. Zoro wanted even more to hug him. 

They left Vivi behind, and there was one less person for Luffy to kiss goodnight, but that didn't even last one night because Miss All-Sunday showed up and joined the crew and won everyone over, except Zoro. He didn't trust her. 

Nami told him that she froze for a moment and then giggled when Luffy kissed her. His opinion of her went up a little. 

When they were on that sky island, he got to see it several times. He saw the almost motherly looks Robin gave his captain when he pulled away from kissing her forehead to go to Chopper, then Sanji, then Usopp, then Nami, then Zoro. Always the same order. 

He smiled at her one night, and she smiled back. She'd won his trust. 

They needed a new ship. Usopp left. Robin left. Tensions were high. In that hotel room on Water 7, Luffy did not miss their goodnight kisses. Everyone latched onto that sense of normalcy. Zoro wanted his crew back together. He pulled Luffy in for a hug and held him longer than usual. It hurt. 

It must have been quite the long time they latched onto each other because they woke up tangled in one another's limbs. 

Zoro saw Luffy kiss Merry's figurehead before they left the ship to give her her send-off. "Bye, Merry," he heard him whisper, even before they set her ablaze.

They got Robin and Usopp back. They gained a new crew member. 

Franky, when given his first goodnight kiss, laughed loudly. "A  _ super  _ goodnight to you too, Straw-hat-bro!"

He'd fit right in. 

Luffy stuck to his order. Kissed Franky in the boy's room, went to the girls' room to kiss Robin, returned for Chopper and Sanji and Usopp, left again for Nami, returned for Zoro. 

Zoro didn't see how Robin reacted, but Usopp and his captain shared some quiet words and a longer-than usual hug that night. 

Zoro was so glad his family was back together. 

They found a new crew member. Zoro was in a haze of pain for a long while, but a few times during it he vaguely felt lips on his forehead, heard Luffy murmuring something to him. 

.

He missed the first time Luffy kissed Brook, but when they were on the Sunny again and it came the skeleton's turn, Zoro heard the laugh he'd already begun to associate with home and heard the skeleton return Luffy's goodnight. 

And then they were separated, and Luffy was in pain and alone but they needed to train and every night on Kuraigana was hell because he didn't get a goodnight kiss from his best friend, and he didn't get to hear his nakama getting theirs, and he got used to the quiet and the empty feeling when he went to sleep. 

When they reunited, Zoro had to control himself to keep from breaking into delighted laughter with the bubbly feeling that filled his chest. Fuck, he'd  _ missed  _ them all. 

He was almost surprised when Luffy bent over Brook's bunk and kissed his skull, then kissed Franky's forehead, then left for Robin, came back for Chopper and Sanji and Usopp, left for Nami, then came back and pecked Zoro on the forehead. 

Zoro took his shoulders and pulled him into the bunk with him and kissed his forehead, hugged him close to his chest and just held him like he'd wanted to for those agonizing two years. 

Luffy snuggled against his chest, smiled up at him. 

"Goodnight, Zoro."

"Good night, Captain. I love you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading my mess <3


	8. Sometimes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. Not sure about this one?   
> But I'm never gonna edit it and I wanted to share it so here y'all go i guess.

Sometimes, Robin forgot that she was finally safe. Sometimes, she forgot she'd found the only people in the world she could trust.

Sometimes, she dreamed, felt fear in those dreams. Felt loneliness. Sometimes, she'd wake up with a start from a nap on her deck chair, on guard, arms crossed over her chest, ready to fight. 

And then she'd hear her captain cry out in delight across the deck and she'd see the jolly roger on the sail above her head. She'd turn and see Nami, who was almost always sunbathing next to her. There was always a concerned look there on her face, but it was never confused or accusing. Always understanding. 

She felt traitorous sometimes, when Usopp threw an arm around her shoulders a little too suddenly and a jolt of fear ran through her before she relaxed, or when the simple weight of Chopper climbing into her lap made her feel trapped, or when her young captain hugged her too tightly. Always, the feelings were gone after just a moment. 

Sometimes, she couldn't relax. Even when the nights were calm and she knew her nakama were all asleep in their beds save Zoro, who was ever watchful in the crow's nest, she had trouble convincing herself that she was safe. 

She wondered if she really trusted these people enough. They were deserving, God, were they deserving. Every little jolt of fear that ran through her because of her nakama, no matter how few and far between, made the image of them all on that roof at Enies Lobby rise into her mind. 

She knew she could trust them. Why, then, did she suddenly feel nervous when her nakama were all eating together? Why did she have to excuse herself and leave the room? 

Did she trust them as wholly as she ought to? If she did, how could she have these feelings, fleeting as they were?

They never, ever seemed upset about it. Even if the anxiety came at random. One day, one of her crewmate's actions, say, Franky grabbing her hand to lead her to his factory and show her his newest invention, would be perfectly alright and she'd spare it no extra thought. When he repeated the same action even the next day, sometimes she jolted away. 

But never once did he seem annoyed. None of them ever did. She got concerned looks, but those looks were always filled with understanding and acceptance. They left her alone when she needed it, and somehow when she was feeling lonely, when she really craved that easy physical contact, there Sanji was, kissing her hand and serving her a drink, there Nami was, sitting close to her and leaning closer to point out details on her maps or clothing in magazines. 

She felt guilty. Guilty that they did so much for her and yet she was such a danger to them. She knew deep down that it was silly, that they loved her just as much as she loved them, but knowing and believing were two different things.

One night Robin excused herself from the chaos of the dinner table, her heart beating fast and her hands sweaty. She wanted to be around them. She'd been happily smiling, and then suddenly there had been the overwhelming urge to hide and she didn't know why. It was sunset, and she retreated to the front of the ship where she stood still, leaning against the railing. 

She felt lonely. She hated that she felt lonely, that even with her nakama close by and so accessible she distanced herself from them.

She stood on the deck for a long time until the sounds of her nakama died down. 

And then, quite suddenly, really, Zoro was sitting down several feet away from her, going through the motions of caring for his swords. 

He said nothing, so she didn't say anything either. It was a tranquil silence. She knew he expected nothing of her.

How he knew the difference between her  _ I need to be alone  _ disappearances and her  _ I'm lonely  _ disappearances was beyond her. Sometimes she herself couldn't tell until she'd already distanced herself. But she was glad he could tell, glad that the others could tell. It seemed so silly, to act like she did. 

But even though she knew Zoro took every opportunity to poke fun at them all, he never called her out on it. This was not the first time this had happened, his sitting in silence next to her like this. 

She stood still for what had to be another hour, taking comfort in the swordsman's presence and enjoying the sea air as she watched the sky go from red to purple to blue to black. Then, she found herself yawning. She pushed away from the railing, and it was that same moment that Zoro stood and took his leave, heading down to the grass deck without a word. 

Robin followed him, and before their paths split so that he could go to the crow's nest and she to the girls' room, she made sure he knew she appreciated his efforts. "Thank you, Zoro.

He gave his customary grunt in reply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's been in my drafts for forever, haha


End file.
